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Rise & RitualBY SOL & SAHARA GOODSMy learning
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Build your technique · Intermediate

Shape, score & bake

Build a repeatable shaping and baking routine for round and oval loaves.

Lesson 3 of 4

Score for expansion

A cut gives the expanding dough a planned opening.

Ingredients for this learning path

  • A familiar fermented bread dough
  • A little bench flour
  • Rice flour for the basket, optional

Equipment

  • Bench scraper
  • Round or oval proofing support
  • Sharp scoring tool
  • Suitable covered bread pot
  • Oven mitts

The lesson

  1. Choose one simple expansion cut before decorative patterns. Score cold, supported dough shortly before loading the oven.
  2. Use a sharp tool with a controlled movement. A shallow angled cut can create a flap on suitable dough; a more upright cut opens differently.
  3. If the blade drags, check sharpness, dough temperature and surface condition. Do not keep sawing at fragile dough.
  4. Store blades covered and out of reach after use.

The baker’s note

Scoring cannot compensate for an overproofed loaf or weak gluten.

Practice

Draw the intended cut on paper before trying it on dough.

Technique lessons may require a separate complete formula. Read the full path before mixing.

LESSON 3 OF 4 · 7 min read

Score for expansion

A cut gives the expanding dough a planned opening.

Go to guided practice & lesson check

Let’s work through it

  1. Choose one simple expansion cut before decorative patterns. Score cold, supported dough shortly before loading the oven.
  2. Use a sharp tool with a controlled movement. A shallow angled cut can create a flap on suitable dough; a more upright cut opens differently.
  3. If the blade drags, check sharpness, dough temperature and surface condition. Do not keep sawing at fragile dough.
  4. Store blades covered and out of reach after use.

LEARN IT. TRY IT. MAKE IT YOURS.

Your practice bench

Read the whole lesson first, then work at your own pace. Check a step when you’ve practiced or reviewed it.

0 of 4 steps

STEP 1 OF 4

Choose one simple expansion cut before decorative patterns. Score cold, supported dough shortly before loading the oven.

MAKE THE BAKER’S CALL

What is an expansion score intended to do?

TAKE IT TO YOUR OWN KITCHEN

Your next small experiment

Draw the intended cut on paper before trying it on dough.

Record what happened in my journal
How do you feel about this skill?

Practice works here. Sign in to save it between visits. Answers are for practice, not a graded certification.

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Make it part of your practice

Draw the intended cut on paper before trying it on dough.

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YOUR BAKING JOURNAL

Remember what the dough taught you.

Record your temperatures, timing, observations and one thing to try next.

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